Trigger-Happy (reboot)
by Understated Elegance
Summary: Fable 3./ Reaver figured out Alice pretty quick. She was ridiculously tenderhearted, outrageously opinionated, & downright innocent to a flaw. She was perfect for him. Sadly, The Crawler wants to lay claim on her as well. Rated M for "relations". /Reaver
1. In Which Alice is Betrayed

_Author's Note:_

_Hello readers, & welcome to the reboot of my story. Seeing as it suffered the first time around, I decided to put everything back on track before I finished it. New readers, welcome; veteran readers, thank you for not abandoning me. I promise to make you enjoy this version as much, if not more, & hope that you enjoy its evolution._

_As always, reviews & pms are always appreciated. Anyone is able to leave a review, thanks to the settings on this site, so don't be afraid to post anonymously._

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_**Chapter 1:**_

"You're not going to put on any make-up?"

Alice looked up at her mother after pulling the straightening iron from her hair, the hot tresses within the clasp floating all the way down to her waist. Alice rolled her eyes & stood up, only to be pushed back into the seat in front of her vanity rather forcefully. Without asking for permission, Mary Crow pulled Alice's hair away from her face before she reached into an unused drawer where all of Alice's makeup was. Alice narrowed her eyes. Hadn't she thrown away the lipstick at the top over two weeks ago?

"Mum, I think my boyfriend doesn't give a damn if I wear ten pounds of make-up, or none at all," Alice grumbled, still unable to dodge her mother, "I'm old enough to pick what I wear when going out. Lay off it, okay?"

"Alice, you can't just go on a date looking like the homeless," her mother chided, irritation lacing her usually smooth voice. Alice refused to respond & closed her eyes as her mother got straight to work & covered a few zit scars at the chin some on the forehead with substantial concealer, then proceeded to cover her daughter's face with another face. Alice hated this; Mary was so concerned with not only her own appearance, but her daughter's. When Alice's father walked out on the woman after finding out that an affair led to pregnancy, she had convinced herself that the only way females could function in the world was through beauty. The stupid woman couldn't accept that she needed to keep her legs shut instead.

Alice finally opened her eyes & tried not to grimace at her reflection. Her pale skin now looked flawless under a thick layer of expensive make-up, thanks to her mother's efforts. & here she thought actually putting effort into wearing a skirt & matching tights for once in her life could count for something. Not around Mary.

"& put in your contacts," Alice's mother said, handing her contacts that 'corrected' her daughter's hetero-chromatic eyes. At birth, Alice had been blessed with one blue eye, & one green. One of the birthing nurses had ominously said that Alice's eye colors signified one was born with magical or spiritual favor; Alice's mother had laughed it off & insisted her daughter was just an oddball.

At a young age, Mary also insisted that Alice try to fit in better, practically forcing the girl to start wearing color contacts that made her eyes an evenly-distributed hazel color. Alice hated them, but once again, Mary argued that Alice needed to make an effort to be more beautiful, & that eyes that were two different colors were too lop-sided to be beautiful. Once again, the rift between mother & daughter grew, even though Alice was sure that deep down, her mother meant to be helpful.

Once her contacts were secured, Alice's hair was pulled into a ponytail & a headband, her look finally feminine enough for Mary to get off of her case long enough to get out the front door. Finally able to get a little excited, Alice bounded towards the shopping center, having a good feeling about her date tonight, despite her mother's meddling.

_**…_..._...**_

Alice sighed as she kicked a bit of gravel that graced the streets of the London Cinema. James still hadn't arrived for their date, even though he was the one that set everything up & made her promise to be on time. Since she was starting college next week, it would probably be pretty hard for them to spend very much time together for a while, & he said that it was his treat. But now he was almost two hours late, & Alice was done waiting around; their movie was already halfway done now. While waiting in the shopping center, the bored young woman had bought new ear plugs, strolled through the arcade twice, & even bought herself two refills of strawberry soda. Now she was cranky, had to pee, & was still in a damn skirt that she constantly had to readjust so it wouldn't wrap around her waist.

Looking at her watch once more, she finally gave up on waiting for James to show up & headed home. Maybe he thought they were supposed to meet at her house? At any rate, she didn't have her cell phone on her, so calling him yet was out of the question. After a long trek to her house, Alice stopped at the front steps while two familiar voices drifted to her ears, making noises that sounded a little too friendly to be considered a simple evening converation.

The young woman paled & clumsily unlocked the front door, opening it only to see James fucking her mom on the couch. James; her boyfriend of two months, was _literally_ having sex with a woman twice his age. Well, so much for the idea that they were going to meet at her house; or at all. Alice bit her lower lip & shook her head as her purse fell to the floor in the doorway, watching the lovers' attention. No, no, no, no, no, this wasn't happening.

But it _was_. Alice stared at James & Mary as they stared back at her, both parties equally horrified. There was a sick, undeniable feeling growing in her stomach, & she felt like puking. Of all the disgusting things these two could have done to her, this… this was just terrible.

Alice turned on her heel and ran out of the house, her mother calling after her while James fumbled with his pants in order to give chase. She ran faster despite all of their shouting, ignoring the rustling in the bushes and the noise from the traffic on the road. Too occupied with the seething anger to stop & investigate, she kept fleeing the scene until the yells of her mother & former boyfriend faded to nothing, but that still wasn't far enough from them. She had a painful stitch in her side, & wanted to just fall to the ground & cry, but not yet, not while those two could catch her.

Her mother was such a disgusting slut! Sure, she raised Alice after getting pregnant (with a man she couldn't remember) & made Alice's life as comfortable as possible, but did that give her the right to steal James? Hell no!

_**…_..._...**_

When she stopped running a few blocks away, Alice could feel something closing in on her. She wasn't sure at first, but now, she was certain that someone was following her. Alice looked around as she gasped for breath, wondering what was around her. It was there, lurking in the shadows, & Alice didn't like it. Something inside kept screaming for her to run, to escape whatever was approaching. Unable to take the feel of her hair standing on end, Alice ran to the nearby diner about a block away & burst in. A couple of old women sitting in the booths watched her with confused expressions as she went to the single-person bathroom inside & locked the door shut. She needed to think; collect her thoughts even.

Everything that happened today was boiling up inside her, making her just about ready to explode. & now someone was following her. It was too much for a girl to take. But first, she needed to pee. Waltzing over to the toilet, Alice set about doing her business & relieved her bladder before going to the sink & wash her hands. She was trying to think of absolutely nothing, lest her brain start frying.

_**"You want them dead,"**_ a voice suddenly hissed from the background. Alice froze & turned her entire body around, instantly fearing whatever it was. The lights began to flicker, Alice propped herself up on the bathroom sink to keep herself from falling to the ground… & then it was upon her.

A large dragon-resembling creature appeared before her, his four ink black eyes staring intently. She could swear that the frightening monster was smiling at her with his huge, pointed teeth & fierce dog breath, making the nervous sweat on her neck chill. Alice screamed as she fell back, black gunk forming from the ground & literally flowing up to drag her in. She tried her best to evade the creature's grasp, but it's reach extended more, successfully wrapping her in tentacles & blankets of inky black goo.

_**"Darkness… will consume all,"**_ the creature crooned as its black goo completely covered Alice's arms & legs. Someone began to pound at the door as Alice continued to scream & thrash against the goo to no avail. It then pulled her into the mirror of all things, the panicked girl clinging to the seemingly-hollowed mirror's frame before she was ripped into it completely & the darkness within.


	2. In Which the Mirror Collapses

_**Chapter 2:**_

Reaver sighed as he emptied his goblet of wine once more, gulping down the sweet liquid greedily; a pleasant buzz filled his body with warmth, but he couldn't seem to enjoy it very much at the moment. While these whores had indeed satiated his needs, they tended to talk a lot when he didn't give them something to put into their mouths. The gossiping was incessant, & he simply detested chattering females so late at night, especially when they weren't even talking about him.

"Ladies, with my deepest regrets, I announce that our wine has diminished for the evening, and I am too tired to keep playing," Reaver finally announced as he climbed out of bed, "You are all relieved of your obligation in my home as of now." His guests whined & pouted at Reaver's sudden curt attitude, but did just as he ordered when his hand reached out & wrapped reflexively around his trusty Dragon Stomper. No one wanted to be around the crooked businessman when he had that pistol on hand.

Quickly, the sobered prostitutes dressed & flooded out of Reaver's "pleasure chamber" while Reaver himself poured the rest of the wine bottle into his goblet & drained the remaining alcohol. In the distance he could hear his shameless butler, Barry, flirting with the call girls as they left Reaver's mansion & started their trek back towards town. Usually, Reaver would have a carriage bring his company back to Bowerstone, but the idea of mercenaries getting their mitts on these annoying chatter boxes was just too amusing for him to resist.

Reaver headed back to his room after discarding his goblet & bottle in the pleasure room, climbing into bed still nude. Why bother with clothes when he was just going to change out of them after a few short hours of sleep? He'd rather spend his money on fun parties than something so useless.

Once settled, the sated man looked up at the looking glass above his bed, wondering when it would get a good use. He loved the adventurous ideas that sometimes popped into his thoughts of toiling around in the sheets. Maybe tomorrow he would take a few partners to this bed & play with them under this mirror. Oh, the delicious potential. While the opportunities turned in his rather drowsy mind, Reaver noticed something was happening in his new toy. He could see an odd… swirling in the depths of it, something that unsettled him.

Of course, his first reaction was to grab his pistol when a black shadow unmistakably formed into it, & then black sludge filmed onto its surface. The blasted goo began to drip onto his fine sheets, & Reaver cocked his firearm. As he aimed, the blob formed into the shape of a woman in one bigger drop of sludge. Despite his better judgment, Reaver lowered the Dragon Stomper & watched as the offending black sludge receded from his bed & into the mirror. A harsh, heavy growl filled the room, lacing the room with cold dread as Reaver's eyes narrowed.

Now, hanging from the mirror frame, was a young woman. Reaver almost shot her on impulse, but somehow restrained himself from doing so. Killing the girl would only ruin his chances of finding out what the hell was going on.

"What the devil?" he mused in awe at the sight of a person literally jamming herself in the frame of his mirror so she wouldn't fall from it. Just who was this brazen minx, & how did she get into his home through a looking glass? His thoughts were cut short when he heard a cracking sound from the frame of the mirror. Alas, the stubborn girl still wouldn't pull herself from the frame, her eyes shut tight & her entire body tensed. He didn't know if she even realized her current peril… wait, _their_ peril. Reaver quickly pulled himself from bed & backed away, just in case. He wasn't going to let himself get caught in the crossfire & let her ruin his beautiful face.

"You should really consider unhinging yourself from the mirror, my sweet; it's going to fall apart," Reaver finally suggested. The girl opened her eyes, dazzling Reaver for a moment as he got drawn in by the way they sparkled with her tears… & then his eyes lowered to her slight, but still curved body. She was a real beauty. The sides of his mouth curled up into a cat-like, predator's grin as thoughts of what he'd like to do to those curves invaded his thoughts.

While Reaver was lost in thought, it also crossed his mind that travel via bedroom mirror was not normal. Was the girl supposed to be some kind of Will user, inventor, or dare he say… an apparition? Reaver looked back up at the young woman again & pushed his ghost theory out of his mind. His third idea was entirely off; she looked ___nothing_ like a spirit.

The mirror frame let another cracking sound & the girl sucked in a hard breath, making him sigh. Was she really that afraid of dropping onto his plush, inviting bed? Maybe she had a thing against heights. It was a completely rare even, Reaver putting his pistol on the table to solve his current problem as he moved to the edge of the bed. He frowned just a bit as both the girl & his mirror slipped. He just hoped she fell first; that mirror cost a fortune. Holding out his arms just a few feet from the girl, Reaver gave her a charming smile & winked. Though she was preoccupied, the girl blushed darkly, her eyes wide at his attitude.

"Go ahead & fall, Sweetheart," Reaver offered with another wink, "Your Prince Charming will catch you." The strange girl vehemently shook her head. In Alice's point of view, falling into the arms of some unknown, naked man was NOT a good trade. She'd rather get sliced to ribbons by the mirror.

After a full 57 seconds of holding Alice's weight, the mirror broke. The frame snapped apart & the girl fell, letting out a shriek that made Reaver cringe; did she have to be so bloody loud? He guessed he would do the poor girl a favor as his arm shot out & forcefully grabbed her arm, jerking her out of the mirror's way just in time. She fell against him clumsily as the mirror landed on Reaver's bed, thankfully not shattering on impact. With a sigh, he sat up, forcefully holding the now squirming girl against him as he grabbed her wrists & forced her to stand. The girl tried to wriggle away as she screamed yells & curses, but her attempts to escape were futile. Reaver was not about to let her just run off, especially after she just morphed from his looking glass of all things. Now he had several questions, & she was going to answer them before she would leave his sight for a single moment.

"Let me go, you bastard!" the girl yelled, kicking at Reaver viciously. He smiled at her wild behavior & spun her away from him, pinning her arms behind her back. But not without peeking into her blouse for a brief moment, of course. Her cleavage did not disappoint.

"Barry!" Reaver called out as he started to drag his new "guest" to the pleasure chamber hidden behind the bookcase. The wild thing was still yelling, trying to kick him, bite him, anything to get him to release her. He smirked, noting that Barry was now in the room when he opened the secret entrance to his chosen destination.

"Fix this blasted hazard & remount it by morning," Reaver ordered the man as he managed to grab the girl's arms with one of his large hands & pointed to the mirror laid out on his large bed, "When I check it tomorrow, a person had better be able to hang from it safely." Barry nodded like a good butler should, but wondered what kind of kinky purpose Reaver would need such a sturdy mirror for, & where his catty female companion came from. But when one worked for Reaver, questions were a bad thing to vocalize.

Reaver's grip was hard as steel as he pulled Alice to his pleasure chamber, but she didn't seem to be intimidated one bit by his power over her. She fought him even when he hefted her in the cage at the corner of the pleasure chamber, swiping a well-aimed fist at his head. Reaver all too easily dodged the swing & laughed at her ruefully. She was more of a fighter than she looked; he'd keep that in mind for the future.

"Come now, child, is all of this fuss necessary?" Reaver taunted with a dangerous grin after locking the cage door & shaking the key just out of her reach. Alice screamed something incomprehensible at him & jammed herself against the cage, allowing him a generous view of her body pushing into the bars.

"We'll have more time for that kind of fun later," Reaver mused as he sauntered back to the bed still in his nude glory & sat on the bedside chest. As he made himself comfortable, several servants came into the room to service it, stripping the bed, cleaning messes & taking out all traces of people using the room earlier.

Alice, who'd finally been able to look at her surroundings, was horrified to find she was in some kind of crazy BDSM wonderland now. Just who the hell was this clown, & how did one even buy a human-sized cage?

"While we wait for you to settle down, I would very much like to know how you traveled into my home through a mirror," Reaver told Alice in a low voice. He seemed to be requesting the information, but the look in his eyes told Alice otherwise. She was in serious trouble now.

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_Author's Note:_

_Oh, the irony of "Alice travelling through a looking glass." Can you believe I finally just got it? I am a failure, readers. -sigh-_


	3. In Which Reaver Peeks

_Author's Note:_

_I wish there was some kind of way for me to keep you guys updated on my writing status. I feel terrible when my classes get super intensive & I can't update my stuff. I may make an author/ artist facebook page soon. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter, & let me know what you guys think about my updates!_

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_**Chapter 3:**_

Alice sighed again as she curled against her knees in her hanging cage, the man who called himself Reaver watching her with the most amused smirk on his annoyingly perfect face. She wanted to punch him so badly now, her knuckles were pulsing. She didn't like him at all. The way he talked, walked, & treated Alice screamed of dominance, & she wasn't one to be dominated.

"So, you mean to tell me that you caught your lover-"

"_Ex_-lover!"

"Oh yes; your ex-lover & mother. Which, might I say is not so uncommon for devotees of pleasure, but I digress. You then fled the scene with your dearest heart broken, and The Crawler abruptly hauled you to my world via bathroom mirror?"

"If that's what you call it," Alice hissed, not nearly as amused as Reaver as she hugged her knees closer.

"& that's it."

"That's it."

Alice resisted the urge to roll her eyes, knowing Reaver didn't believe her explanation for a moment. She should have known a man with a bondage-filled room would have sympathy on her, but she could always hope. What was up with this room, anyway? She couldn't tell if Reaver really liked candles, or if she was thrown back to a time before electricity. All she knew was that she was exhausted, her voice was hoarse from screaming in terror, & it was really, _really_ cold in this room.

"Now let me out," Alice ordered with full authority, kicking the bars of the cage with a loud clang, "It's fucking cold in here!" Reaver stopped his chuckling for a moment, giving her a puzzled look. There the girl went again with her odd behaviors; so unladylike.

"_Fucking_?" he repeated, making the girl want to smack him with renewed anger. She didn't like the double entendre he decided to slip into her interesting language, & certainly didn't want to know what that gleam in his eyes meant. She'd like to believe that Reaver wasn't keen on rape, but once again, she could only hope that was the case.

Alice groaned & hit her head back against bars on the other side of the cage & let out more curses. Reaver decided to lose interest in her colorful vocabulary as he stood & regarded her thoughtfully. There was one more issue for him to explore; her quirky beauty, & more importantly, the odd clothing she wore.

Being as inexperienced with men as she was, Alice couldn't recognize the sensual gleam in Reaver's eyes, but it scared her nonetheless. She backed against the bars on the other side of her cage & flinched when Reaver reached inside, caressing the leggings under her skirt. He chuckled when she jerked her legs away & hugged them, rather amused to see the proud girl shying away from him; she must have never been touched by a man before. Reaver wondered why she was dressed so strangely in the tiny dress, odd blouse, & irritating cloth hose that covered her naughty bits. Her peculiar attire was literally the most revealing & concealing thing he had ever seen on a woman.

"You will share my bed with me tonight," Reaver announced casually as he unlocked the cage. Alice grimaced & kept herself curled up, Reaver's gaze still drinking in her demeanor & the dangerous glare she kept plastered on her face. That annoying clothing of hers was still frustrating him, but that would be easily fixed; he was an expert at undressing women, after all.

"Sweetheart, I am not requesting," Reaver said in a more stern tone, "You are already missing out on my amazing skills as a lover tonight; I am simply too weary from playing earlier to have such delicious fun with you. But you will slumber with me. Or… you can stay in this cage. Either way, I need a good night's rest, & you are welcome to join me."

Alice continued to scowl, but Reaver took her silence as an affirmation of consent & dragged her out of the cage by her dainty ankle. She let out a rather adorable squeal when his large hands grasped her hips & lifted her high into the air before placing her onto the ground before him. He had to hold back a chuckle when he realized how short she was, even compared to other women her age. He didn't particularly care for her slight form though; she looked a little underfed for his tastes.

Without lingering for long, Reaver went into one of the dressers in his pleasure room & tossed a night gown at Alice. Clean, efficient, & easy to tear off on the off-chance that he changed his mind about playing with her in the sheets. Tossing the flimsy garment to Alice, Reaver smirked when she stared expectantly at him. She had such a stubbornness he was too tired to match, but all too willing to challenge. But he would be charitable for tonight & let her have her way.

"Oh fine, I will be a gentleman & turn away as you change," he purred, slowly making his way to the bed & placing his gun onto the bedside table. He pretended to keep his word & smoothed his dark hair before turning around & peeking at the changing girl. He tried not to laugh as she sniffed the night dress untrustingly, probably searching for some kind of poison, before she kicked off her shoes & pulled off her own clothes.

By Avo's grace, she was a beauty after all. While her body was slight, he could see she might have a weakness for one too many snacks with the way her bottom rounded out, as well as the slightest hint of softness at the belly. When Alice finally began to button up the nightgown, Reaver raised his gaze to her face. She had jet black hair that hung straight down to her waist, a tiny silver piercing in her nose, & though he couldn't be certain, it looked like she has tubes running through her ears, stretching out where he imagined two normal ear piercings used to be. She carried rather odd fashion statements for someone who didn't hail from Rituu or Gatalia, but nothing that made him question her sanity.

When it came to inspect Alice's eyes, Reaver was shocked to see her sit on the edge of the bed & pulled out thin lenses from her eyes, carelessly laying them on the bedside table. The colors no longer matched perfectly, but had changed One was a playful green, while the other was a gentle blue. Of course, Reaver had seen his genetic defect once or twice, but never had the eyes been so vivid & with personality. Well, he was glad she had such pretty eyes; tiny girls without curves like Alice never really caught his attention.

"What are you _DOING_?" Alice abruptly yelled, breaking Reaver free of his close inspection of her body. Alice was now in the gown, crossing her arms angrily. Reaver chuckled when he saw her odd undergarments under it & climbed into bed without gracing her with his answer, deciding to inspect them closer some other time. Who wore a corset that only covered the breasts & pantaloons that barely covered their naughty bits? & why the hell was Alice wearing them at night? He thought women liked to take off their corsets when they were sleeping… such a pity. He wanted to sample what she kept hidden under her infuriating clothes.

Alice, meanwhile, contemplated running away from Reaver, but that just seemed like stupidity when she laid out the facts. For starters, he had a firearm. He never seemed to let that gun leave his sight, and he was… odd, at best; who knew what he'd resort to in order to catch her.

Plus, her chances weren't so great if she actually took off into the night either. She didn't even know what kind of community Reaver lived in, because his pleasure room had no windows. She was decidedly stuck for the night. But tomorrow, she would force him to help her return home. She had two people of her own to kill.

"It's time for bed, my pet," Reaver said, his tone with more authority than a mere request, "I wish to hold you until you drift away into slumber." Alice blushed darkly, totally indignant. Once again, he was acting like he owned her, making demands while he was naked! Her first thought was to tell him that she had a boyfriend, but decided not to. He already knew that wasn't true, & Reaver seemed like the kind to take that as an invitation to try harder.

With that thought, Alice decided that she wanted to sleep with Reaver now, who was lying on his side with his arms held out expectantly & his eyes warning her not to misbehave. She realized that she was going to be held by a very desirable, if not fatally dangerous man tonight. She wished James could see the way she willingly climbed in bed with another man when she refused to even take a nap fully clothed with him. If she were to be forced to give up her virginity to a total stranger, Reaver would probably be the one to con her into his inviting arms. & she would probably accept. Alice was a virgin, not a holy nun.

But if Reaver touched Alice without her consent now that she had his word that her virtue was protected, he would be eating his own teeth for a meal. Alice tried not to smile at the thought of the great handsome Reaver becoming a toothless wonder & climbed into his massive bed. When she didn't move quickly enough for him, Reaver grabbed Alice by the wrist & dragged her to him, grinning smugly at the soft squeak she released, coupled with a delightful blush on her cheeks.

It was particularly hard for him to wait until she rested against him to wrap his arm around her, making Alice both captured & safe for the night. He grit his teeth & willed himself not to get hard when her bottom inadvertently rubbed against his crotch, knowing he was too tired to have another round of playtime. She'd probably kick & scream the whole time anyway. Were all virgins this stupid around men?

"Good night… Reaver," the man heard as he wet his fingertips & extinguished the bedside candle. Their only source of light now was a low red glow from the paper lanterns that seemed to float in the air with magic. He could see her watching them with awe & went rigid as she unconsciously began cuddling closer to him & his groin. Didn't the little fool know what she was doing to him? Probably not. Already, he'd pointed out her weaknesses. Sex was definitely one of them.

"Good night, dear," Reaver's replied as he closed his eyes, forcing himself to sleep. Alice would have to pay for her teasing tomorrow, whether she meant to or not.

_**…_..._...**_

After Reaver fell asleep, Alice decided that she didn't feel so comfortable pressed so closely against a naked man. The novelty of it had worn off, & now she was just embarrassed that she'd thought sleeping next to Reaver was okay to go along with. Slowly, Alice grabbed the sleeping man's hand, pulling it off of her waist. Sliding her way to the other side of the bed, she only got to the middle of the mattress before she caught sight of something disturbing.

Lurking in the corner was something that Alice could only identify as a pitch black child, her edges blurred by shadows. Everything about the deathly quiet, little imp screamed of the creature that attacked her earlier in the restroom. Were the shadows back to take her to yet another place?

The shadow girl took a step forward from her corner & Alice quickly slid back to Reaver, burying herself back into his arms & hiding her face into his chest. He jumped a bit at her sudden movements, instantly alert but still half-asleep.

"What, you changed your mind?" he mumbled into Alice's hair as he sleepily wrapped his arms around her & held her tighter against him, "Late nights are bad for the skin, Love. We can have fun in the morning… I am amazing in the morning."

Alice rolled her eyes at his assumptions, but when she looked back at the corner of the room, the shadow was gone. Maybe she could put up with Reaver if it meant the shadows would leave her alone. She never wanted to meet "The Crawler" again.


	4. In Which Alice Kills

_Author's Note:_

_Well, it seems that my story is doing better this time around. No one has made any comments that Alice is a Mary Sue, so I'm cool. :D_

_Also, add my new facebook page. Please follow it for updates & to keep contact with me. just type__ Understated Elegance in the search bar to find me.~  
_

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_**Chapter 4:**_

Opening her eyes, Alice propped herself at her elbows & slowly looked around her room. Odd, she must have had a bad dream last night. She didn't quite remember it, but her hands were shaking, & she felt sick. Looking over at her alarm clock, Alice groaned at the sight of the late morning time & dragged herself out of bed. The young woman lazily pulled on her clothes before heading downstairs, remembering the night before as she reached the ground floor.

Her pathetic ex had run off home, not man enough to even look her in the eyes as he tripped over his own feet to run out the door. Alice's mother was still in the house, sitting at the dining table. Her make-up was totally smeared & the smell of James's cheap cologne still hung in the living room. & Alice was definitely not in a forgiving mood.

Without any words, she walked to the tv set & picked up the vase of flowers that James had given to her for their one month anniversary; they were dried & crunched now, but Alice had kept them because she really loved her boyfriend, & looking at them made her happy. She'd thought that he loved her too. Lying bastard. She carelessly grabbed them out of the vase & tossed them into the kitchen trash.

"Why don't I grab some ice cream & we talk this out?" Mary asked softly, following Alice to the kitchen like a lost puppy. Alice narrowed her eyes & went to the cabinet to search for some kind of breakfast. This was not the first time that Alice's mother had stolen a boyfriend; it was actually around the fifth or sixth, depending on what a person could consider cheating.

Every time something like this happened, Mary would take advantage of Alice's love for sweet things & make some extravagant dessert, then beg Alice to give in to her mother's pleas for forgiveness. The woman was sick, but Alice could never bring herself to leave the house; Mary was still her mother, no matter how crazy she was.

Alice could only imagine how desperate Mary was if the only men she could "love" were her daughter's under-sexed boyfriends. & the fact that Alice didn't have sex with the men herself only added to their bastard natures. When they realized they wouldn't get any sex from the girlfriend, they went to her totally willing MILF mom.

"Can't you get your own man?" Alice asked angrily as she heard the freezer click open & bowls clink against the counter. Mary stayed silent for a bit longer, & Alice knew that she was trying to come up with a good excuse. But Alice didn't want excuses, she wanted to fall in love & not have it ripped from her.

"Alice, it was a mistake," her mother said softly, "Really, you must believe me." Alice tried to calm her head as her mother continued to patter around in the kitchen, muttering to herself that everything would be "alright". But Alice knew it wasn't alright. Her control was slipping; she knew it was slipping. She was more livid with her mom than she had ever been before.

Then there was blackness.

Then… red.

Alice trembled as she looked down at her twitching mother, covered in blood & vicious stab wounds. Mary looked up at Alice with dead eyes, her last expression being total & utter fear. Alice dropped her knife & got off of the corpse under her. Her stomach turned, & the girl leaned over the edge of the sink puking into it. What the fuck had she just done?

_**"You want her dead,"**_ a familiar voice called softly, _**"You want to rip her heart out, just as she's done to you, so… many… times…"**_ Alice rested her forehead on the cool metal of the sink & squeezed her eyes shut tightly, the metallic taste & smell of blood still invading senses. Even when she closed her eyes, she still saw red everywhere; she could still hear Mary screaming as she stabbed & stabbed into her chest.

As Alice tried to regain some semblance of control, the room went dark. The sunlight of outside was gone, & the only faction of light glowed from Mary's chest. With a sick fascination, Alice moved over her mother again & picked up the bloody carving knife they used last Christmas; it was funny how she remembered what it was used for at a time like this.

Slowly, Alice pushed the blade into Mary's chest sliced open the corpse to see it was her mother's heart that glowed, shimmering faintly under her rib cage. It filled Alice with rage, & she immediately hated her mother more. Her mother didn't deserve this light. Not after all of the pain she put her own daughter through!

Alice screamed as she wildly stabbed the knife through the ribs & into the glowing heart underneath, her eyes brimming with tears when she realized that no matter how much she stabbed, the glow would not fade. Her mother & her wicked ways refused to die.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Alice shrieked, driving her knife down one more time, as deeply as she could.

_"What's not fair, my dear?"_

**…_..._...**

Alice awoke from her dream suddenly, releasing a large gasp of breath she didn't know she was holding. Right above her, Reaver stared down at her with an odd, quiet expression while she struggled to breathe, one she could only register as amusement & curiosity. Alice looked away dizzily & then turned over as she tried to quell her loathing of herself. In all her life, she'd never gone that far with her anger. Did a cruel, heartless killer lie underneath her skin?

Reaver sat up & watched the strange girl as she started to cry into one of his fine pillows. What in the devil brought this on? He couldn't recall being rude to her, & just a minute ago, she was sleeping very fitfully.

& he was certain that Alice wasn't awake earlier when he pulled up her nightgown to inspect the peculiar undergarments he saw the night before. To his delight, they were the embodiment of feminine, made of fine cloth & adorable laced bows. He would have to order his tailor to make similar garments & then force Alice to model him in the most lewd ways imaginable.

Reminded of fine cloth, Reaver twitched slightly in irritation at the damage she was causing to the silk that wrapped his pillow, but resisted pulling out his Dragon Stomper 48. This woman… no, this LITTLE GIRL was lucky that she was so fascinating to him or Barry would have blood & another pretty face to clean up from the floor. But until he found out if her ability to travel through mirrors could be replicated, she was… fairly safe from his wrath.

With great difficulty & awkwardness, Reaver reached down & pulled Alice into his arms, very uncomfortably trying to sooth her in her nearly catatonic state. The tears began to soak his bare chest instead & it was all he could do not to lose his temper. He detested crying women, & he hated the mess it made of their faces.

Thankfully, Alice didn't look too displeasing when she pulled back, & he forced himself not to look away from her face as he grabbed a kerchief & rubbed the running mascara from her cheeks; in all honesty, she looked a bit cute like this, her eyes all wide & wet. Her face & eyes didn't get all blotchy like most women's did, & for the most part, she was quiet. It didn't exactly please him that Alice's make-up had ruined his pillow case, though. At least she was calming down now; the sounds of her sobs had grated his nerves, no matter how quiet she tried to be.

"I killed her," Alice finally choked out, the devastated look on her face almost making the man holding her burst into laughter. Reaver stayed silent & quirked an interested brow. She was freaking out over one paltry murder? He didn't even care who "her" was, because it really didn't matter at all. A corpse was a corpse.

Reaver had killed three… no, four people just yesterday. That was one of his good, less hectic days. He snickered a bit at her weeping over such a matter & Alice looked up at him, suddenly _angry_. Reaver continued to grin back at her, challenging her to act on that irritation. Alice didn't attack, but her nails did sink rather painfully into his arms as Reaver leaned in & kissed her forehead. She instantaneously recoiled & shrunk away from him, the look in her eyes making Reaver glad that looks didn't kill.

Reaver continued to smile & took her reaction in stride; he rather liked the idea of taming this fiery prude. The ideas of how he could corrupt her virgin body were already filling his perverse mind with sure-to-come ecstasy. But that would have to wait for now. As luck would have it, Reaver had to work today. Some of his workers seemed to be planning a revolt in his company, & he would have to take care of the ring leader to make them all just lay back down, like good dogs.

"I know this will break your delicate heart, but I have to part for a while," Reaver said as he finally tore himself from the seething woman in his bed, "But fret not, I will return in a few hours. I have planned a grand party for tonight, & you shall be my guest of honor." Alice continued to glare, but Reaver ignored her & went to his room, Alice following with seething anger exuding from her entire being.

Without warning, Reaver dressed before Alice in a usual ensemble of white clothing, black top hat, & goggles, as well as his cane that rested in its usual place by the coat rack. If Alice was angry before, now she was furious. Reaver looked back at her when he was dressed, satisfied with the mortified expression on her face, coupled with the lovely shade of red that stained her cheeks. He wondered if she'd even noticed his state of nudity before he started dressing.

"Oh, how I will miss you so, my lovely flower!" Reaver said in mock sincerity when he embraced Alice suddenly, making the girl struggle & try to pull away from him while she yelled rather colorful threats at him, using that unladylike vocabulary of hers again. Her warm curves pressed on him in her thin nightgown & it was all he could do not to throw her onto the floor & take her there. My, my, he was a bit more impatient than usual today. Maybe a break from the little minx would be beneficial for them both. He wouldn't get anywhere with finding out Alice's secrets if all he could think of was satisfying his lust for her.

"Barry!" Reaver called, the livid curses coming from Alice's mouth entertaining him further. Barry came in within seconds, his portly & rather grimy body sweating a bit from his obvious effort to get there quickly. Reaver, grabbed Alice's wrist & pulled her before him.

"I want her dressed in the finest for this evening," Reaver ordered before callously pushing the girl forward with his foot on her bottom. Alice stumbled forward & Reaver exited his bedroom without so much as giving her a wayward glance while Barry was forced to break her fall by spreading himself across the door frame. Alice collided into him & then recoiled when a sick look of glee crossed the lecher's face. Alice's fearsome glare quickly put Barry off, a frown replacing his smile.

"Oh, & Barry…" Reaver called. He turned on his heel to face his guest & servant, Alice looking back to Reaver. What did he want now?

As Reaver slowly walked back to Alice, a devilishly attractive grin played on his lips & Alice blushed darkly despite herself. Barry flinched however, knowing the real meaning behind that smile. Reaver walked closer, his intent a bit more apparent to Alice as he stopped just before her & gently straightened the frills on her nightgown.

"If Miss Alice escapes while under your watch, I will kill you both," Reaver said quietly.

Alice's moment of swooning was gone in an instant, & she paled considerably. No wonder why the bastard thought her nightmare was amusing earlier. He was a complete psychopath! Pulling Alice closer & kissing her cheek, Reaver turned on his heel again & exited the manor, the huge front doors closing with a rumble.

Almost numb now, Alice allowed Barry to herd her to the seamstress's room so they could get started on her outfit for the ball. Alice was already dreading her day.

**…_..._...**

Reaver walked back into his factory, his gun still warm as it was put back into its holster. The little uprising planned for today turned out to be nothing but one man complaining about how "horrible" & "cruel" that he was. Four shots into the sodder & his employees went right back to work like they should. Now he could go back to the mansion & tease his new guest some more. But not before paying one of his frequent visits in Millifields.

"Come on in!" the wife gushed as she stood beside the front door. Reaver let himself in, winking playfully at her husband who was finishing his lunch. The man blushed & smiled; both of them knew why Reaver was here. With that in mind, the wife locked their door & drew the curtains. Her husband followed Reaver to the bedroom as he walked through their home as if he owned it. Before he went back to the mansion, a little bit of… release was needed.

Mr. & Mrs. Jenson were Reaver's latest challenge. He hadn't slept with either yet, oh no, he wanted them both at the same time, but the gentle Mrs. Jenson had been far too embarrassed to kiss in front of Reaver when they first met. By Avo, he would have them this afternoon. & they weren't going to fight him, it seemed.

Mr. Jenson, as it turned out, had a good, lengthy talk with his wife, & now she seemed all too eager to please. She moved before Reaver & began to undress in the doorway of their bedroom. Reaver smiled at the woman, showing his appreciation, suddenly pushing her back on the bed when her husband came into the room & shut the bedroom door behind him.


End file.
